Hey lovelies! It’s your girl, Emma, back again with another TutuBlog and this time I'm so excited to be bringing you the pink-tastic adventures from my latest trip to Bristol! Oh, I just love that city - it's got such a vibrant energy and it feels like it's absolutely buzzing with creativity, just like me!
You might be wondering, what was the pink tutu situation on this trip? Let me tell you, my lovelies, I packed not just one but two beautiful pink tutus! The first one was a fluffy, shimmering number in the most beautiful shade of pale pink imaginable – perfect for twirling around the cobbled streets of the city centre. The second was a more sassy, fitted tutu with a beautiful pink and gold design - ideal for a night out in a classy restaurant or catching a performance at the theatre, which, as you all know, is something I never miss!
Before we get into the nitty gritty of the trip, a quick update from home. It was so good to see my mum last week – she made the most amazing rhubarb crumble, and we had a right old natter about everything going on. As I mentioned, we Derbyshire girls have to stick together, don't we? She even suggested a fab idea for a new blog post – "Emma’s Top 5 Pink Tutu Outfits". Now that’s something you lot wouldn't want to miss! I'll get working on it right away, don't worry!
Speaking of sticking together, I had the most lovely experience on the journey to Bristol! I hopped on the train at my little station in Derbyshire – and lo and behold, it was jam packed full of school kids in uniform. I felt like I’d travelled back in time – a wonderful flashback to my own schooldays when I was all dolled up for a dance competition, a pink tutu twirling behind me like a glorious pink cloud. A very kindly grandma in a pink cardie looked over, gave me a little smile, and then handed me a giant box of Malteasers. She said they were for "a girl with the best kind of spirit." Oh, what a sweet lady! I tell you, I just adore meeting kind, generous strangers – it warms my heart.
Anyway, enough about my journey – let's talk about Bristol itself!
First on the agenda? You know it - a spot of ballet, obviously! Bristol has a phenomenal theatre, the Bristol Hippodrome, and they had the absolute delight of a Sleeping Beauty production on at the moment. Honestly, the costumes were incredible - there were a good 30 dancers out there in glorious tutus - and I felt like I’d fallen straight into a storybook. My own heart went all aflutter as soon as they stepped onto the stage, and the twirling! It was just pure magic!
Then, it was time to find somewhere nice to refuel and recharge those tutu-powered muscles of mine. Now, I’m a little bit fussy about food (that’s no secret, right?) and Bristol didn't disappoint. I treated myself to afternoon tea at the most delightful tea shop - I’m a little bit obsessed with tea rooms - and it had the best Victoria sponge cake ever! So delicious and dainty, just how I like it! And they even had a whole section of their menu dedicated to cakes adorned with beautiful pink sugar flowers! Don't even get me started on how gorgeous they were – just gorgeous. I snapped some pics for you lovely lot, don't you worry! But honestly, they were far too pretty to even take a bite of... Maybe next time! (You can never have enough cake!)
Then, my journey continued into the heart of the city centre, past bustling markets and quirky shops overflowing with antiques. I must tell you about a brilliant store called the 'Little Teapot', an adorable, little tea room that doubles as a vintage boutique - I managed to find a perfect, sparkly, silver pin in the shape of a tiny ballerina which was, you guessed it, a shade of pink! It’s the perfect accessory for my pink tutu outfits! I even snagged some darling vintage postcards of beautiful ballerinas – how could I resist? I love adding to my collection of these lovely things.
One of the things I truly adore about Bristol is its natural beauty. The Harbourside area is a complete dream, and I spent hours just wandering the waterfront and gazing at the stunning views, just enjoying the feeling of the fresh air on my face. And wouldn't you know it, there was even a gorgeous swan gliding peacefully around the marina - it looked majestic with its snowy white plumage – just like my own pink tutu, wouldn't you say? Such a gorgeous creature! Oh, I have to share a secret, though… I saw the sweetest little hedgehog out behind the shop and I could not resist feeding him a couple of pieces of the Victoria sponge cake. I don't know if he enjoyed it, but it certainly did my heart good to watch him.
No trip to Bristol is complete without a visit to the world-famous Bristol Zoo Gardens – a personal favourite of mine! Not only did they have the cutest, fluffiest baby monkey swinging from branch to branch – it even had the cutest little pink nose! - but the amazing giraffes towered over us like royalty in their spots. Such beautiful creatures! The giraffes were even wearing pink ribbons - must've been the same lady who gifted me the Malteasers - or perhaps the giraffes have a thing for pink too? Who knows?!
Now, I know you’re all thinking – Did you do any ballet on this trip?. Well, of course, I did! There is this adorable studio, hidden down a little cobbled street – The Dancing Flamingo, which just happened to be running a wonderful street ballet class that afternoon. I love going to classes on my travels – it allows me to meet local dancers and make some great memories. You’ve probably guessed, the class was full of pink tutus! We were all whirling and leaping to our hearts content and we laughed so hard!
After my dancing lesson, it was time to explore the vibrant street art scene that Bristol is so famous for. Every wall, corner and bridge was a canvas bursting with colour! And honestly, I could have spent hours just admiring each artwork, but I knew that there was still a fabulous theatre production I needed to see. Yes, my lovelies, a ballet performance!
This particular performance was by the company "The Bristol Ballet" and it was just a joy to behold - full of raw emotion and pure grace! They did a brilliant rendition of Swan Lake and the female lead's tutu was a beautiful mixture of pale pink and white – it was just stunning.
And of course, as my journey wound down and it was time to pack my suitcase (stuffed to the brim with amazing vintage goodies, naturally!), it was just as exciting as arriving. My pink tutus, stuffed in their bags, were almost vibrating with excitement at their next adventures! It was so emotional to leave Bristol – I’ll definitely be returning!
I want to leave you lovelies with a little piece of my heart – it truly is amazing the kind of magic and wonder you can discover on a journey. Even if it’s just to the shop around the corner – life is always bursting with new adventures waiting to be found! So get your own little pink tutu ready – let’s dance through life together!
